Tracker-bar-operating mechanism.



T. DANQUARD. TRACKER BAR OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLIOATIOE FILED JULY 14,1906. RENEWED AUG. 24, I908.

Patented Oct 27 1908.

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UNITED sTA'rns PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOPIANO 00., OFNEW YORK,

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

'macxnnuaaaornnarme MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Application filed July 14,1906, Serial No. 326,162. Renewed August 24,1908. Serial No. 450,056.

To all whom it may concern:

ful Tracker-Bar-Operating Mechanism, of

which the followin 1s aspecification.

Myinvention' re ates to that class of mechanical musical instruments andplaying attachments in which two tracker-bars are employed, one having agreater range than the ot er or in other words, being'provided witha-"greater number of air conducting channels, whereb the music sheets ofthe ordinary kind whlch do not cover the entire range of a v ment; and ten by means of certain. manipulations, the instrument or attachment canbe prepared for use with music sheets of a difierent range.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide animproved means for accomplishing this result by the, use of twotracker-bars connected with the primar q pneumatics by connections,parts of whi-c are flexible and having a convenient and simple means formanipulatingthe trackerbars so as to insure the opening of the channelsof one bar for playing when it is placed in proper position and thesimultaneous withdrawal of the other from playing position and theeffectual closure of the channels thereof.

Reference is to be had to. the accompany.

ing .drawing in which, Figure 1 is an elevation of a structureillustrating the principle of my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of the same. v Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig.5 is a fragmentary view similar to'Fig. 2 showing the parts in adifierent position.

For accomplishing the above mentioned 'res ults l have provided twotracker-bars 10 and 11.,each adapted to be moved into the" usualposition of the tracker-bar between the two rolls for the music sheetwhich are intended to be operated in the usual or any do sired manner.These two tracker bars are provided? with different numbers of channels,each communicating through a tube 12' with a flexible connection 13,both of the flexible connections corresponding to the same note in thetwo bars being led to a piano can be used on the instrutube or passage15 with the primary pneumatic 16. The primary pneumatics are sufficientin number to accommodate the larger number of channels in one of thebars and they may control the o perat-ionof the instrument orattachiheiit in ahy known-or de-' sired manner.

It is desired at all times to have one tracker-bar in a position forplaying and the a other closed so that the air cannot enter itspassages. For this purpose, a pair of plates 17 are mounted. on framesextending inwardly, one being provided with a stopping surface 18 andthe'other with acorrespondmg surface 19.

In operation, the tracker-bars are moved from the position shown in Fig.2 to that shown'inFigIE'i to change the range of the in strumentwhenever the music sheet to be used is of a different range.

- It will benoticed that in the construction "illustrated, thetracker-bars are moved through an angle of 90 degrees. It is desirabletoaccomplish this motion by a comparatively short motion of an operatinghandle and for this purpose I have provided such a handle 20 pivoted inan convenient position and connected by a lin 2.1 with oscillating frame22-, this frame being pivoted on a stud 23 on which is mountedstationarygear teeth 24, constituting a rack or gearsegment. v

' Each of the tracker-bars is provided with corresponding gear teeth 25meshing with the stationary teeth and each one is'pivoted on the frame22 so that it can have a double motion ;.one withthe frame about thestuds 23 as a center and the other on its own stud. By such-aconstruction as this, a comparatively rapid motion of the two bars 1ssecured with but a short motion of the lever 20 andin fact, with only ashort oscillation of the frame 22. I However, as the frame moves aboutits pivot, the tracker-bars are'not only carried with it but on accountof the relation of the gear teeth, they are turned in the same directionas the frame is moving, but at -a greater speed, on their own pivots.This gives a-wide range of motionto the trackerbars withoutnecessitating the same angular motion of the frame or other supportwhich carries them. With an angular motionof its the frame of only a fewdegrees the trackerbars are carried around QOQdegrees; one from 55chamber 14 which communicates through a a position in contact with itsstopping pad 18 or 1.9 to playing position, and the other from playingposition to the other stopping pad. I/Vhile, of course, it is notnecessary that this motion be 90 degrees, this forms a convenientstructure and I have so illustrated the invention. It will be obvious,however, that the tracker-bars may be swung through a smaller or greaterangle than this, the pads 18 and 19 being corres ondingly mounted andthe motion of the fiame 22 also being modified in proportion. I am alsoaware that other changes may be made in the construction of the deviceby any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention. what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters- Patent is 1. In a device of the character described,

I; the combination of a movable frame, a

trackerbar pivoted on said frame, and means for automatically swingingsaid tracker-bar on its pivot when the frame is moved.

2. A music playing instrument or attachment having a plurality oftracker bars mounted to turn on different axes.

3. A music playing instrument or attachment having a plurality oftracker bars mounted to turn on diflerent axes, and means for swin ingthe axes and simultaneously turnin t e tracker-barsthereon.

4. T 1e combination of a tracker-bar, a swinging frame on which said baris mounted, and means operable by the motion of the frame for swingingthe bar through a greater angle than that traversed by the frame.

5. The combination of a tracker-bar, a

swinging frame on which said bar is mounted, means operable by themotion of the frame for swinging the bar through a greater angle thanthat traversed by the rame, said means comprising stationary gear teeth,and gear teeth connected with the bar and meshing tracker bars pivotallymounted on said 1 frame, and movable therewith, each t1'a(-.ker i barhaving a gear segment moshing with the first named segment.

8. The combination of two tracker-bars, a swinging frame on which saidbars are mounted, means operable by the motion of the frame for swingingthe bars through a greater angle than that traversed by the frame, and apair of stationary stops for said trackerbars, eachlocated in positionto engage one of the bars when in a certain position.

9. In a music playing device, the combination of a movable frame, astationary rack or gear segment mounted adjacent thereto, and twotracker-bars each movably mounted on teeth for engaging with said rackor segment, whereby when the frame is moved the trackerbars will hemoved in a different way.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set a my hand, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS DANQUARD. Witnesses:

CHAs. KonLnn, WM. J. KEELEY.

centric with the pivot of the frame, a pair of said frame, eachtracker-bar having gear

